The Virtuous Man, Job 29-31

Here we see the counterpart of
"The Virtuous Woman" of Proverbs 31.

The book of Job is probably the
oldest book in the Bible. Job lived about the time of Abraham,
which would have been at least 400 years before Moses, who wrote
the first five books of the Bible. So what Job says in this book
would have been given him from God in Heaven.

Job's speech here sounds prideful,
but we are not dealing with that point. I will say that these
words of Job were spoken in public, and no one stepped forward
to challenge what he said. His three friends challenged him, but
they did not live in the community where Job lived.

There are more points here than
we could ever cover, so I will try to restrict myself. Nor will
I take the time to develop the word meanings and cross references.

Young ladies take note: here are
some things you should look for in the man you will spend your
life with.

Job 29:

V. 5, the virtuous man
has the Almighty was with him. And we see from Job's
life that the Lord's place in this man's life will be obvious.

V. 5, Job "fell" from
a place of wealth and importance to the ash heap. Yet in all these
things, he did not charge God foolishly. Remember, Job's children
had been killed, and all his wealth destroyed.

The virtuous man will accept God's workings in his life,
even though he might go from one extreme to the other - top to
bottom - without taking it out on God or on man. He may not understand
God's workings, but he will accept them without taking it out
on others. If he does not, then he will be very hard to live with
when things don't go right.

How do we respond when we suddenly
find ourselves on the "ash heap?"

Vv. 7-10 tells us of the influence
Job had on young and old, and even on those in authority.

V. 7, seat in the street
was the judgment seat in the market place. The virtuous man
will be known for his right judgments in matters of controversy.

Vv. 14, 16, the virtuous man
will search things out, both from God's word and from factual
events. Only then will he make a judgment, and the judgment will
be righteous.

The virtuous man will be known for his willingness to
search things out before forming conclusions. Once the truth of
a matter is found out, then he will stand on the truth, no matter
what it might cost him.

V. 11, gave witness to me.
Others will speak highly of the virtuous man's honorable
character. They will respect him and his judgment.

Keep your ears open. What do others
say about this man? Even the unsaved will speak well of the godly
man. They may not like what he stands for, but his honorable character
will be known. He will be known for his honesty, integrity and
his willingness to help others.

Vv. 12-17, give us the grounds
of his honorable character, as will chapter 31:

Vv. 13, 15, 16, the virtuous
man will help the helpless. He supported those who needed
support, both physically and spiritually. He will be known as
someone others can go to for help. He will have advice worth listening
to for those in distress.

Vv. 16, 17, Job searched out the
cause of the helpless. And then he took action. He helped the
helpless, and went after the wicked who were taking advantage
of the helpless.

The vitreous man will do what he can to help the helpless,
though there may be nothing at all in it for him.

Do we stand up for the helpless
though there is no profit in it for us?

This was my motive for getting
involved in the ZONING issue.

29:28-25 show us the positron
Job enjoyed before he lost everything.

V. 18, everything was going good.
He could not have asked for a better life. He was looking for
a strong, vigorous, healthy (by the waters and the dew,
Ps 1), long, comfortable life, surrounded by his children and
their descendants. (The life span at this time was probably 200
years or so.)

He had everything a man could
wish for: respect from everyone from the poorest to the rich and
famous, financial security, large and loving family. He had the
best retirement plan that one could have.

Vv. 22, 23, and my speech
dropped upon them. Job's words affected the minds of his
hearers as the gentile rain affects the soil on which it drops.
In fact, folks wanted to hear Job's opinions on matters.

Job's words influenced people
for good and righteousness. What more could a godly man ask for?

Our words influence people, but
how do they influence them?

Vv. 24, 25, he cheered those who
were despondent or depressed and hopeless.

How do our words affect others?
Do they make them more depressed, or do our words cheer others,
and lift them out of their afflictions?

V. 25, as one that comforteth
the mourners. This statement may sound proud on Job's part,
but notice:

Isaiah 61:2 To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our
God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn
in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting
of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Job's afflictions prepared him
to comfort the mourners. Christ's afflictions also prepared
him to comfort all that mourn. And thus set an example
for us.

None of us like the afflictions
we must go through, but they prepare us to comfort those that
mourn.

The virtuous man will comfort those who mourn. I am afraid
though that most of our words give others more to mourn about.
Do our words bring cheer or hopelessness?

30:1-10

Now rather than others looking
up to him, he is mocked by the sons of those he would not have
even allowed in his house, nor watched over the dogs that guarded
his flocks.

Vv. 1-10, describes the wretchedness
of those mocking him. He is not referring to his three friends.

Vv. 11-14, v. 11, because
he (God) hath loosed my cord. The picture is of
a bow unstrung. Everyone in here must admit that at times, we
feel unstrung, at loose ends not knowing what to do.

Vv. 12b, 13 is the image of an
army besieging a fortress. The enemy destroys any hope of help.

V. 14, describes a feeling that
we all have experienced: EVERYTHING IS COMING APART, AND IT IS
ALL FALLING IN ON ME.

Vv. 15-24, describes the lowness
to which Job has sunk. His calamities affect his mind.

V. 17, the pain that gnaws at
him never stops.

V. 18, his robe of honor is changed
to a rob of mourning.

V. 19, Job set himself in the
ash pile, and now he says that the Lord did it.

V. 20, midst his afflictions,
he cries out to the Lord, but it seems the Lord does not hear
him.

V. 21, he blames God for his afflictions.

V. 22, Job says that the Lord
destroyed his wealth. We know, however, that the devil did it.

Vv. 23, 24, he expresses his desire
for death, for then his turmoil will be over. He is confident
he will be with the Lord, 19:25.

V. 25, Job had wept with those
who wept. So now he says he has a right to complain over his own
calamity.

V. 26, when he looked for good,
evil came.

V. 28, he stood up as an innocent
man crying for justice in an assembled court.

Chapter 31, Job continues to prove
that he does not deserve what is happening to him.

Job 31:1-4. he shows that he guarded
against lust.

V. 1, the virtuous man
will control his eyes and thoughts against lustful glances and
ideas.

Vv. 2, 3, if he had let his eyes
and mind dwell on lust, then he could expect from God what is
happening to him.

V. 4, the Lord knows I have remained
clean of lust.

Vv. 5-8, the virtuous man
will abstain from evil works.

Vv. 5, 6, the virtuous man
will be willing for the Lord to examine his life:

Psalms 12:2 They speak vanity
every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a
double heart do they speak.

Note v. 6, Let me be weighed...The virtuous man is willing to have his life open for
inspection by God and man. I should say, he knows the Lord will
examine his every thought and action, and he acts accordingly.

Vv. 7, 8, he places a curse upon
himself if he has been controlled by covetousness, or the lust
of the eyes. The virtuous man will not be controlled
by his heart's desires.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice,
O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the
days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in
the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things
God will bring thee into judgment.

** Vv. 8-12, if he has been unfaithful
to his wife, let her be the slave and concubine of another. Adultery
is a heinous crime and sin against the community; it must be punished
by civil authority. No crime provokes God more to send destruction
upon a community. No crime desolates the souls of the adulterers
as this crime.

Vv. 13-23, the virtuous man
will always treat those under him with respect and justly in both
wages and in words.

Vv. 13-15, notice that even though
those under his authority treated and spoke to him unfairly, he
always kept his Christian testimony. He then expected the same
treatment from the Lord. Job realized that every person has the
same creator, and he treated everyone in a humane way.

V. 19, the virtuous man
will not be self-centered. Job did not turn his back upon the
cry of those in need, the poor. He was concerned about
the legitimate needs of those around him.

V. 21, in the gate speaks
of judicial help for the helpless.

Vv. 24, 25, shows us Job's attitude
toward money. Though he was rich, he did not trust in that money.

Job had been a rich man, and he
used his riches properly. He knew that they were from God, and
the purpose of riches were to properly represent God on earth.

The virtuous man will have a proper view of worldly wealth.
He may not have much, but how does he use what he has? Is he selfish?

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that
stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his
hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him
that needeth.

Nor will the virtuous man's
heart be lifted up with pride over the worldly goods the
Lord has blessed him with.

1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them
that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they
be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against
the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Note some things here Paul told
Timothy.

The preacher is to warn those
who have an abundance of this world's goods.

1) don't be proud.

2) don't trust in riches, for
they will surely take wings and fly away.

3) trust in the Lord, for he is
the one who provided them, and he can remove them much quicker
than we gained them.

4) the true riches is rich in
good works, works that glorify God and help those in need.

5) the rich are to be willing
to share with those in need.

6) willing to communicate
in this case, goes with the marginal reading, sociable. That is,
not "too good" for those who do not have as much.

7) rather than worried about a
good savings account and/or retirement plan down here, they should
worry about their eternal retirement plan.

8) there is a time coming, and
they need to be careful that they are trusting in the Lord and
not in their wealth.

Vv. 26-28. This is a reference
to worshiping the sun, moon and starts. Today this would be called
Astrology.

There was an article on Dateline
the other day about the how astrology is being used by a good
number of traders to tell them when to buy and sell stock.

V. 28 this also... Here
Job calls for civil punishment against those who practice astrology.
And it was punished under the Mosaic law, because it was considered
witchcraft and denial of the Living God, v. 28b.

Vv. 29, 30, though Job was long
before the Gospel age, he certainly had the gospel spirit:

Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard
that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate
thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That
ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for
he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust.

The virtuous man will not work at getting even with those
whom he feels has done him wrong. Job never wished evil upon his
enemies. Nor will the virtuous man he be glad when trouble
overtakes those whom he has had a conflict with. He will not be
glad when trouble overtakes wicked men in high places.

David did not wish evil upon Saul,
though Saul tried for many years to kill David.

Vv. 31, 32, the virtuous man
will be hospitable, which is one of the qualifications for any
kind of godly leadership.

Job never let those who came to
his door looking for food go away hungry, nor did he turn any
away who needed shelter. There were no Inns as we know them today,
nor were folks so mobile --- they had to walk or to ride an animal
to get around. So travelers were lodged by people of a community.
We find several illustrations of this in the Old Testament, and
we are told in the New, that many have lodged angles unawares.

Vv. 33, 34, the virtuous man
will not try to hide his sins, particularly if they were public
sins. Job did not care what others thought of him. He wanted to
be right with God, so when it was necessary, he made public confession
of his sins.

Vv. 38, 39, the virtuous man
will obey the word of the Lord concerning the land. Job acquired
land in an honest manner, and he paid the labourer the proper
wage.

Notice vv. 35-37: it appears here
that Job is depending upon his goodness to stand boldly before
the Lord. We know from what is said elsewhere that he was not
trying to do this.

However, I have met many men particularly
who willingly go down through their list of good deeds, and it
is obvious that is what they are depending upon.

The man who did the sidewalk out
front: I asked him about the Lord, and he started reciting to
me the good things he has to his credit.